Appearances are Deceiving
by elusivemuse
Summary: The Cullens and Hales have moved to Maybell, Colorado after Edward's heartbreak with Bella, only to find that there is an older threat seeking to destory their whole way of life. Edward/oc crossover with Christine Feehan's Dark novels
1. Chapter 1

_Hey hey! Welcome to my Story! This is a Crossover between Twilight and the Christine Feehan Dark novels. A few references may not make sense, but I'll try my hardest to make sure that they are explained, if I haven't I apologise ahead of time and just drop me a message and I'll make sure that I get back to you! I'd like to thank my Beta Soccer-Bitch for helping me out as well as Insane for giving me a hand when I was a little stuck. Oh and I don't own Twilight or anything that Christine Feehan wrote, I just own Heavenly Marsh/Dubrinksy. So without further adieu…._

Chapter one

"Heavenly Marsh?" the teacher called out to the class. A charged silence greeted her. "Heavenly Marsh?"

The girl in question groaned and hit her head on the table before raising her hand. All around her snickers twittered, all except for four particular voices. Lifting her head from the desk, Heavenly's forest green eyes caught on the otherworldly amber globes of Edward Cullen. He gave her an amused look. A dull thud echoed from her head dropping back down on the table. Another attractive guy who was more entertained by her name than that of her personality. She had the worst luck. _Oh yeah, my parents hate me._ Utter mortification was the most apt word to describe how she felt. "My preferred name is Lee, ma'am," she called out, her cheeks flaming from embarrassment.

Maybell, Colorado wasn't turning out at all like she's hoped. The classrooms were tiny and the people already a close nit group, unwilling to allow any one else into their cliques. Just about everyone had grown up with one another and those kind of ties were simply too hard to penetrate. The teacher in front of her merely shrugged and continued on. Well, there was something that wouldn't change. No matter how many school's she had attended, all the teachers called her by her full name. The few that she had managed to crack settled simply for calling her "Miss Marsh". Heavenly had always made friends fairly easy yet despite her adequate social skills, the only person who had taken the time to talk to her at this new school was the rather strange girl named Alice Cullen.

##

Mortification, embarrassment, horror, chagrin, resentment and humiliation washed over Jasper as he focused closely on the new girl. But then came the interesting emotions, whispers of secrets, hidden horrors and fear. His dark blonde eyebrows scrunched in confusion. He glanced over at his prophetic mate, noticing her blank expression. Withdrawing his focus, he turned it to his lover. A bubbly happy feeling drifted over him, leaving him happily content. But he still couldn't help but be drawn to the other girl.

He took a moment to study her, to try and find out what was so different. The teachers said that she was from a different country, but he couldn't remember what, although she did have the dark hair and pale skin that came from the central Europe. Her hair was an espresso colour but had a red shimmer in the light. The forest green eyes were unusual, however, most people in that region had very dark brown, almost black eyes. She was tall, he noticed that when she walked in, and moved with a dancer's grace. The one thing that really caught his eye was how perfect her hands were, even by vampire standards. Her fingers were long and smooth, her palms narrow.

"That girl is different, her heartbeat is really slow, like comatose slow," Edward mention casually, leaning back into his chair. He was perfectly aware of how fascinated Jasper was. However, it was the girl's thoughts that had his chair slamming on the floor. The teacher glared at them but softened when Edward gave her a sheepish look. "Her thought process reminds me of a vampire the age of Carlisle or older," He remarked with an interest that had not been stirred since Bella chose Jacob over him. The thought hof his past love made him wince as the familiar feelings of pain and heartbreak pulled him closer to the depression he had been fighting to stay out of the past four years. Jasper gave him a curious look. "Her mind has paths, like mine, she can read thoughts, but she blocks them like a pro."

"Her path entwines with ours," Alice said cheerfully, beaming at Edward. "So be nice." The youngest of the three gave the bubbly brunette a dark look. "And I'm not telling it's not my place." The other two gave her a filthy look. She laughed and turned away from them, catching Heavenly's eye. Smiling at her, Alice turned back to her work.

##

"How was your first day of school?" Heavenly's older sister asked, sitting at the table with her lifemate Gregori. She grunted and sat at the table with a pout. "That good huh?" Savannah smiled sadly. "It'll get better soon, honey, I promise." Heavenly looked at her with sad green eyes.

"It never gets better Savannah," She explained quietly. "Every time it gets bearable, we move because it becomes obvious that Mum and Dad aren't getting any older, that you and Gregori aren't aging as well. I'm just the odd one out." Heavenly got up and walked towards the stairs. "Where is Mom and Dad?"

"Making inquiries to select people," Gregori answered. "They'll be back later tonight."

"Alright, if anyone asks, I'm doing my homework." And with that she walked up the stairs and slammed the door to her room.

Savannah watched her go with sad eyes. Shifting so often wasn't making anyone happy. At least in Romania, deep in the Carpathian Mountains, they didn't have to hide. Everyone, at least most of the population, didn't seem to care that they never truly aged once they hit their peak age. Gregori's hulking size stood behind her, offering a silent comfort to her.

_Everything will be fine,_ he whispered into her mind. _We are here for a purpose and we are close to finding our goal. After this she can go back home with her parents to the mountains._

_This is so hard for her_, Savannah replied, her heart aching, _if it were possible, I would have insisted that she had stayed back with the others._

_This is a delicate situation, we need to truly understand what the left over experiments are doing before we decide to let them live or eliminate them. If we fail they would go after all of us. Heavenly is safer with us. She adds a humanity that is needed here._

Savannah sighed and Gregori took the chance to study his lifemate. Blue black hair bounced with a life of its own down her back but her deep blue, almost violet eyes shone with her fatigue and frustration. Her long lean legs were encased by a pair of jeans that he despised and a white camisole encased her torso in a way that had him thinking of more interesting activities. He wrapped his arms around her slender dancer's body.

"Not too much longer before we all go back to where we belong," Gregori whispered, kissing the top of her head. "Lee just needs to be a bit more patient."

"She's being remarkably patient with everything that is going on, Gregori, can you blame her for missing Jacques and Shea, not to mention all of the others." She gave him a sharp look. "Not to mention she was the one who discovered that there were some test subjects on the loose. Who knows how much their population would have gotten bigger if she didn't stumble on those notes. Father should have been more thorough with going through the notes. We don't know what those Hybrids are doing."

##

The lounge room was a calming beige, matched with a soft light wooden trimming. Large windows coaxed the warm inviting sun in, allowing the light to shine on the cold antique nick-knacks that decorated the shelving. Each object was priceless memorabilia that would look more in place in a museum but was tenderly loved by each occupant of the house. Sitting on the large squishy three seater, Emmett watched a baseball game, the volume low so not to disturb the other occupants.

It was a warm quiet afternoon that involved no homework. Edward was in his room playing cd while Jasper, Rosalie and Alice sat with Esme in the dinning area going over assignments. A car door slammed, catching Emmett's attention away from the game. The front door banged closed. Emmett was shocked at the sight of Carlisle as he stormed into the room.

His normally combed hair stuck out in several directions, his clean cut designer clothes wrinkled and mussed. Copper eyes darted in several directions at a pace that disturbed Emmett. Startled by the noise, Edward walked down the stairs and stood in the doorway, curious to the goings on.

"Who is new at school," Carlisle demanded, storming into the house. Emmett was surprised to see the intense worry and anxiety so foreign to the man he looked up to.

"Heavenly Marsh," Edward mentioned casually, leaning against the doorframe. The other four were drawn to the older man's anxious demands.

"What's going on?" Jasper asked, walking further into the room, drawn by Carlisle's emotions.

"There are strangers around here and they're asking questions about us," he clenched his fists. Alice stood behind Edward with Rosalie and Esme, a knowing smile gracing her pixie features while the others had worried frowns. "Alice what do you see?"

"They are scared. They think that we are damaging their way of life," she said serenely, not at all disturbed by Carlisle's rantings. "They wish to talk first see if we are a threat then make an informed decision."

"Volturi?" Edward asked, slightly panicked. He had no desire to meet with them again.

"No, they are older than that, and less corrupt, so different though." Alice smiled over to her mate, knowing that he was getting sick of the apprehensive waves rolling through the rooms. Jasper walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder, revelling in her calm and composed state. He pushed it over to Carlisle, watching with a close eye as his hands slowly unclenched. "I think we should let them find us and let them talk to us."

"Are you sure?" Esme asked worried. She looked over to her mate, afraid for their lifestyle that they had settled in. "I don't want to run from people."

"We won't run," Carlisle promised, walking over to her.

"Edward's gonna meet his match though," Alice smiled before grabbing Jasper's hand and walking up to their room. Edward stared after her with a bemused expression, slightly irritated at her ease at blocking him out of her mind. Esme touched Carlisle cheek gently before walking back to the dining area, satisfied that they were, for the moment, safe.

"What do you think about what Alice said?" Emmett asked Edward, his face alight with curiosity. The fear and apprehension that clouded the room disappeared, leaving a serious atmosphere welcoming a planning session.

"I think that she has a point," Edward replied. "She's never led us on the wrong path before." He walked over to the couch and lounged on it.

"Who is this Marsh girl?" Carlisle asked, walking over to the two boys. Rosalie continued to stand at the doorframe, for the moment content to listen before she could make her opinion heard.

"New girl, really strange," Edward told him. "She can read minds like me, but there is something odd about it."

"What do you mean?" the older vampire asked curiously.

"Well, her mind reminds me of yours with its development and she can block as well. Jasper mentioned at lunch that her emotions reveal secrets and old remnants of familiar fear."

"Keep an eye on her; she could be a link to the others that are looking for us." The two vampires nodded, resolved to follow the instruction to the best of their ability. Rosalie walked forward, not impressed by what she conceived as casual dismissal of the situation. She tossed her blonde hair over her shoulder.

"Is that all we can do?" She said unbelievably, "No, I won't accept that!"

"What do you suggest?" Carlisle asked tiredly.

"We fight, not let something take us over lying down!" Emmett got up and walked over to her, a calm expression on his face.

"Normally, I'd be right there with you on the whole fighting thing, but we are too uninformed to go in, guns blazin'. We need more information. And when we do, then we'll decided to fight or not." Rosalie glared at him before stalking off to her room, not satisfied with their limited reaction but unable to fight against their logic.

_Well, that was chapter one, I'd love for you guys to let me know what you think! Cheers and don't forget to press that button after this note!_


	2. Chapter 2

_Hi there, the next chapter here. I do not own Twilight or the Carpathians that Christine Feehan created. Thank you so much Insane and Soccer-Bitch with all the help you gave me with this chapter. Don't forget to review!_

The insistent beeping breached the foggy wall in Heavenly's mind. Groaning with irritation, she shoved her head under her pillow and blindly slammed her hand down on her bedside table, finding the alarm clock after a few hits and slammed the snooze button down after the fourth one. Her late night hung on her muscles, making them feel heavy and lethargic. Drifting slowly back to sleep, Heavenly was unaware of her door being opened.

"Lee?" Her bed dipped at her waist, waking her up a little. A heavy hand rested on her back. "Time to get up, honey, your mother is trying to make breakfast." Heavenly groaned and turned over, her usual flawless locks resembling a poorly made crow's nest. Mikhail struggled not to smile at the sleepy picture she made.

"Is it morning already?" she said thickly, her bleary eyes taking in the dull light of dawn fighting through the clouds. The blue quilt slid to her waist as she twisted to sit up, revealing a black sleeping tank. The previous night had been hard on the two of them. Heavenly, for the first time, had argued against her father, not agreeing that her duty involved her spying on people.

"Yeah, my sweet, its morning." He paused for a moment, seemingly to struggle with words. "I know that you don't want to be here and I understand your arguments…"

"So we are going back to Romania? You're sending a hunter here in our place?" she asked eagerly, cutting off his words. He shook his head, watching as she sunk in disappointment.

"A Hunter doesn't understand true diplomacy. This is something that requires finesse and bravery."

"Bravery?" she snorted in derision. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"It shows them that we are not trying to kill them without true understanding. The fact that I came all this way shows that I'm here to negotiate rather than jump straight into violence. And because I brought my family with me, it gives them the knowledge that I want to keep my family safe and have a level playing field." Heavenly stared at her father, incredulous.

"You know, your nobility is going to be the death of you and us one day," she said bluntly, beginning to brush her fingers through her hair. A particular hard tug caused her to wince. Mikhail grabbed her hair brush and turned her around so he could get to her hair. The long smooth rhythmic strokes calmed her down slightly. She missed having her father brush her hair. The last time they did it was the night before they left to come to America.

_Feel better, my little one?_ Mikhail asked in her mind.

_Yeah, Adah (father), thank you._

With sure fingers, he pulled her hair in a long braid, his years of practice with her mother and her coming to play. With a grateful smile to her father, Heavenly got out of bed and walked over to her cupboard, unaware that white and blue checked pyjama pants where slightly twisted. Mikhail smiled slightly before walking to the door. "Your mother expects you down soon; hopefully her breakfast isn't too bad." Heavenly smiled, slightly dreading her meal.

"I'll be down as soon as I get dressed." He nodded and shut the door behind him. She turned her attention back to her clothes, unconsciously straightening her pants. Pulling out a pair of low rise jeans and a bohemian style white beaded blouse, she got changed quickly, forgoing her usual shower in the morning. Putting on a soft brown leather belt, Heavenly realised that her top wasn't quite long enough to reach the top of the jeans.

_Heavenly, breakfast is ready;_ her mother spoke in her mind.

She sighed and looked down at her top again. Well there was no real time to change it. Pulling on her converse, she walked down quickly, snagging her messenger bag as she bounded out her door. As she walked into the kitchen, tendrils of smoke drifted through her nose.

"Erg, I hope that isn't breakfast," Heavenly commented, staring at the plate of charred food with disgust. "You'd think that with superhuman senses, you'd be able to know when the food's burning."

Her mother, Raven, gave her a dirty look.

"Some would be grateful just to have food in their stomachs," Raven said placing the burned pancakes in front of her.

"Some would prefer that their food wouldn't kill them," Heavenly shot back, looking at the pancakes before pushing it away from her. Heavenly wasn't about to punish herself for her mother's lack of cooking skills. Picking her bag up from the floor, she put it on and walked over to the cabinets. She opened them up and grabbed the first thing that looked good to her. Poptarts with strawberry filling with white icing and sprinkles on the top.

"You need to eat something good for you," Raven said looking on in disgust as Heavenly opened a package of something and started to eat whatever it was. "You won't have much brain power if you don't,"

"I don't have time. I've got to catch the bus," Heavenly told her with a roll of her eyes before heading to the door and to where the bus was supposed to be.

"Next time wear appropriate clothing," Raven called as the front door closed. She was well aware that her youngest was rolling her eyes at her.

##

Heavenly walked on the bus, irritated by the disagreement that she had with her mother. Holding tightly onto the antique poetry hardcover that her father lent her for the day, she tried to ignore the not so disguised looks that she received on the bus. A bleach blonde guy that looked as if he had a personality of a rock, sneered after her. "Well I've never seen such a Heavenly body before. Why don't you let me unwrap the gift?"

She sucked in a breath, shocked. Back in Romania, every boy was respectful to women and never made such comments. "How dare you?" she said, affronted.

"Come on baby face," he said leering after her. "We can have a bunch of fun before we even get to the school grounds,"

Tears began to prickle as she struggled to find a way to deal with him. Instead she headed up to the front of the bus, avoiding everyone. With the argument that she had with her Father about Duty the previous night, the ruined breakfast this morning and the crude sayings of the blonde guy, she knew that she was going to have a rotten day.

"Come on baby, come back!"

Heavenly held up her chin and sat behind the driver, knowing that she was sitting with all of the younger kids, ruining her social standing.

A sparkling red head and a bleach blonde girl were sitting in front of the blonde boy, laughing at Heavenly's expense. Hands clenching the book, she tried her hardest to avoid damaging the priceless poetry. She knew that her father wouldn't mind, but she always looked after things, it was almost compulsive.

"Rachel, did you see that shirt she was wearing?" the blonde one snorted a laugh talking to her redheaded friend.

"You would think she was some kind of hippy," she said. "Look at where she's sitting,"

"With the freshmen, its suits her," the blonde laughed.

"No one talked to her at all, besides Alice, but she's kinda like strange as well,"

"Even Alice wouldn't wear that junk!" The blonde stated with a giggle.

"Cole talked to her just now, but he'd talk to anyone if there was a slim chance that he could sleep with them." The red head said and they both starting laughing all over again.

Heavenly sighed, moodily kicking her shoes against the pole next to her. This was not how she wanted her day to go. And she still had more than ten minutes before they made it to the school. She hoped Alice would be there. Everyone steered clear of the slightly insane girl and she prayed, by association, it would turn out the same with her. The obnoxious snickers and sneering comments echoed in her head as the bus continued on its route. Loneliness swelled up her throat, choking the breath out of it. The thoughts of her friends, the fellow Carpathians that she loved and looked up to threatened to overwhelm her. She sucked in deep silent breaths as the bus pulled into the school.

_Please click the review button after this note! I would love to hear anything you would like to say about my story._


	3. Chapter 3

_Hey hey! New Chapter up and running! Thanks for the help Insanemastermind and Soccer-Bitch for your help. And to my wonderful readers, please tell me what you think of the story, I love hearing your opinions.!_

Alice sat on the hood of the silver Volvo, a dreamy expression gracing her features. All she could see was Edward and Heavenly. Yearning and the need to comfort washed over her. Edward. It was his need. But there was something strange about Heavenly, her eyes bled, yet still no physical pain came from her. However, the loneliness and sheer longing wrenched at Alice's body and soul. The vision drifted slowly away and she became aware of the hand on her shoulder. Her golden eyes flew to Jasper's, startled. Countenance dispassionate, it was his eyes that gave away his true concern over her state of being. She gave him a compassionate smile before looking over the other cars in the school lot.

"What was that?" Edward asked softly, leaning against the car next to Alice. Sharing her mind during a vision was often hair-raising, but gifted their familial relationship a special edge that they didn't have with the others.

"A fact," Alice smiled, triumphant. "Heavenly is special, not only to our family, but you as well." He gave her a look.

"Do you know when she's going to arrive?" Emmett asked as he flicked through Cd's in the driver's seat.

Alice concentrated for a moment. Flashed of hurt, shame and pain pierced her mind as she experienced Heavenly's torment at the hand of the student on the bus. "Oh that poor girl," she said, wincing in sympathy. "That is one of the reasons why I don't like this town." A stern frown graced her usually chirper features.

"I think she's bad news," Rosalie sniffed, unwilling to shift on her opinion.

"Actually, Rose," Alice said, her eyes flashing dangerously, "I think you'd have a lot in common with her, especially with your human experiences." Rosalie glared at her, before stomping off, dragging a startled Emmett out of the car and towards the school building. Jasper closed the car gently; aware that Edward watched him closely to make sure his car was treated respectfully.

"I think Rosalie has a point though," Edward said quietly, his head tilting towards the sky, his golden brown hair waving slightly as a soft breeze stirred around them. Alice opened her mouth to defend the girl. "Just listen, okay? We don't know this girl. Most of us suspect that she has something to do with those people asking about us. I know you see good things about her but I just think we should tread lightly on this one. She still could be bad news, depending on the decisions made."

"But she's not," Alice replied stamping her foot in exasperation. "And I don't want you to be mean or rude to her today, she's having a bad enough day without you being a bully." Edward, who experienced the same vision as Alice, nodded. It was true that the students were unnecessarily mean to her. "But you could do something about that beastly blonde boy, Cole. No girl deserves that treatment, no matter who they are."

"What happened?" Jasper asked quietly, leaning close to Alice. He was unsure of what was going on. Edward just gave Alice a crooked smile, understanding her need for justice.

"Cole implied that she was easy, using her name as a crutch, while those brainless girls made fun of her clothes." Alice let out a furious sigh. "Why can't anyone leave her alone?"

"Do you mean Lydia and Jasmine?" he asked, slowly getting her calmer as he began to comprehend the situation

"Yes," Alice said quietly, "All she did was get on the bus wearing a really interesting blouse and carrying an antique collection of poetry. She never said a word to them."

"Teenagers are cruel," Edward said simply, watching the viciously yellow school bus pull in. "You'll be pleased to know that she likes you just as much as you like her." In the distance Heavenly got off the bus slowly, only to be pushed to the side like a rag doll as the rest of the students raced towards the school doors. He watched her for a moment, taking her in. Slumped shoulders showed her defeat and her thick espresso hair, confined in a braided rope, rested over her shoulder, offering an almost human comfort. The poetry book that he saw clenched in her hands during Alice's vision remained in her arms. Focusing his eyes, he made out the title of the leather hard cover, only to be surprised at its title.

"Why would a teenager have a first edition of eighteen ninety poetry?" Jasper asked, confusion giving his voice a light tilt. Edward agreed mentally. No normal teenager had such a valuable book in their possession, let alone brought it to school.

"Well, we have our icebreaker," Edward replied, giving Heavenly one last look. "We should head off to class; the bell will be ringing soon."

##

_So how are you going to get information out of Heavenly?_ Jasper thought hard at Edward. The girl in question sat two seats up from them, gazed blindly at her text books. A slight scent of tears drifted back to them, as well as her light attractive scent. Edward softened slightly, understanding her torment. She turned suddenly, staring at him as intently as he stared at her. Like butterfly wings, he pushed to read her mind. Like before, he touched her mind block before moving past it.

Alone. Just all alone. The cool feeling made him feel empty. He searched further. _He is strange, looking at me like that. Almost similar to Gregori with Savvy._ Her voice seemed so close, as though they were sitting next to one another. Edward pulled out, allowing her some privacy. Her green eyes looked at his tawny ones with curiosity. _Is it possible…?_ The question drifted over him, making him want to respond.

"Edward!" Jasper hissed.

Edward looked sharply at his brother. Waiting patiently for an answer, Jasper asked his question once more.

"She's vulnerable," Edward murmured below the human hearing range. "We use that." His eyes drifted back to hers. An almost knowing expression graced her features, as though she had heard everything. He looked away, slowly like a normal human. He turned back to Jasper. "I'm going to talk to Alice about it though."

His 'brother' nodded. Alice and Edward were a force to be reckoned with; however, Jasper couldn't help but feel a little left out. Next to Edward, he was the closest person who could detect deceit. "I can help."

Edward shook his head. "No, at the moment I just want to break the ice. Alice is better for that." Jasper nodded again and turned his attention back to his work.

The bell rang shrilly, signalling the end of the class. Waiting outside the door for Edward, Alice tapped impatiently at her books. She knew that Edward was being overly cautious about Heavenly because things with Bella did not end how they had thought they would. Alice missed Bella as a friend, but she knew Heavenly would be a great friend for her and the family would love her, especially Edward. But he shouldn't put down the help from Jasper so quickly. That was what made her annoyed the most. He had been through so much and seen so much, he would know how to handle the situation better then Edward gave him credit for. And Jasper was too proud to think or feel rejected by his brother's dismissal, but Alice wasn't going to let Edward get away with it. It seemed like Edward was deliberately taking his time and going at human speed to try and avoid talking with her, but Alice wasn't about to give up that easily. He walked past her, slowing down so that she could walk with him.

"How could you do that to Jasper?" she asked angrily.

"He understands the situation," Edward said simply. "He said he was fine with it."

"Of course he would say that," Alice replied, grabbing his arm and pulling him around to face her. "You need to give him more credit. You know his history, you know his skills." Edward had the decency to look somewhat ashamed.

"She's…" he looked around, before shifting closer to Alice, not wanting the rest of the students listening. "She's vulnerable at the moment. I thought perhaps it would be best if you were there. Heavenly's more comfortable around you than anyone else at the moment."

"Alright," Alice huffed. "But make sure that you give Jasper a chance, next time." Edward nodded and they continued towards their next chance, unaware of their silent listener.

_Please press that cute little button at the end of this note to leave a comment._


	4. Chapter 4

I do not own Twilight. And thanks so much to those who have reviewed. You guys Rock Potato Chips! Thanks also to Insane and Soccer-Bitch for helping me out!

Heavenly walked to the cafeteria, each footstep seeming like a snail's pace. The whispers, smirks and sneers followed her like a raging symphony, each person adding a vicious note as she continued down the hall. It didn't matter what reaction she gave, they never stopped. She felt like she was a bad painting, the critics couldn't get enough of tearing her verbally apart, instead of letting her go back to storage and gather dust. The urge to snarl and rip their throats out in a red rage was almost too much to handle.

Duty. Pride. These were the things that kept her in control. She refused to become what her family so cheerfully hunted with abandon. The lessons of Duty that her father gave her rose up in her mind, comforting her with their familiarity. Each ancient word hugged around her mind, soothing her with their regal nobility. Heavenly would never shame her father and forget her duty. A shiver crawled up her spine in distaste. She sighed. It was also that Duty that bound her to living in Maybell and attending the school. The last thing her family needed was their cover blown because she refused to attend the school. It was up to her to show the human side of them.

She walked into the large hall, her books clutched defensively to her chest. All around her voices rose like waves as tables of people talked amongst them. Joining the line for their food, she looked around with sightless eyes, barely paying any attention to the line crawling forward.

"Hiya!" the cheerful voice startled her, stealing away her breath and knocking her books to the floor. Heavenly dropped to the floor, picking up her books and looking up to the speaker. Alice's cheerful countenance beamed down at her. Gifting the exuberant girl with a smile of her own, Heavenly stood up and shifted so that she was back in line. Behind the pale girl stood her brother, Edward. He stared at her intensely, an amused grin tugging at his marble rose lips.

"Hi Alice," Heavenly greeted, a light flush rising to her cheeks. Edward continued to smile. She gave him a quick once over, taking in his black pants, tight blue shirt and his amber tinted windblown hair. Fingers itching to smooth it down, Heavenly clenched her fists, grateful for the line moving enough that she could grab her lunch.

"How's your second day going?" Alice asked, taking a tray after her. Edward leaned over his petite pixie of a sister and grabbed one for himself silently.

"Um, not so good." Heavenly hedged. "No one seems to want the new girl in their group." She tried to smile with humour, but going by the sympathetic look that she received from both of them, she guessed that she failed. "But its ok, I think I might go outside or to the library, see if they have any good poetry books."

"Why don't you sit with us?" Alice asked, cocking her head to the side. "Edward and Jasper get boring to talk to after a while, besides Rosalie and Emmett more interested in other things." She pointed to a couple kissing and smiled. "I'm always looking for a new friend that I can go shopping with."

Heavenly flushed as she grabbed an apple and a plastic bowl filled with grapes. "Uh, ok." The other girl beamed before dragging her to the half empty table. Edward followed at a more sedate pace, grabbing a bottle of water and paying for their meals as he passed the register. "Hey, I don't think its fair on Edward to pay for the fruit," she protested as Alice continued to pull her along.

"Pay him back when he gets to the table," Alice shrugged as they reached their destination. Heavenly opened her mouth to object only to close it when the bubbly girl began introductions. "Guys, this is Heavenly Marsh, she's new. Heavenly, this is my big brother Emmett, and his girlfriend Rosalie. They're in the year above us."

She smiled at the two politely. The tall tank of a teenager grinned at her with the enthusiasm of a ten year old, while his blonde bombshell looked at her with a distaste that rivalled the hostility that she had already received. Alice elbowed the girl as she sat down. She tucked a tendril of hair behind her ear, feeling awkward and unwelcome. Edward walked up from behind her, placing his tray down. Standing next to him, she noticed, startled, how much taller he was than her. She sat down gracefully, praying that she did nothing to embarrass herself. Pulling out her purse, she tried to hand Edward a few bills only to have him push the money back towards her with a firm but gentle force. She blushed as his fingers stroked hers before he shifted back casually; making her wonder if it really happened.

"Where's Jasper?" Alice asked Edward after a moment of awkward silence. Heavenly took a bite of a grape, trying to avoid the glare that Rosalie was sending her way. It was strange, the girl knew nothing about her, probably didn't hear a lot of the younger student's gossip, and straight away was willing to be hostile.

"He had to stay back in gym. The lesson ran over," Edward said casually. "Where are you from, Heavenly?" She paused for a moment, unsure of what exactly to say. There was absolutely no way she could tell them the absolute truth, but she really didn't want to lie. Besides, if there was any hint of what she truly was, all her parent's plans would be shot and those they were searching for would disappear again. A thought came to her suddenly. She didn't _have_ to lie, but there was nothing stopping her from editing the true story. "Heavenly?" Edward asked again.

She blinked, brought from her thoughts. "Um, Romania, and please, call me Lee, it's less of a mouthful." Edward gave her a lazy smile before nodding. Her heart pounded. She was quite sure she had just been '_dazzled'_ like the girls in once of her classes gossiped to one of her friends. He stared at her for a moment. Sheer intensity gleamed from his eyes before they shuttered to their polite curiosity once more. Heavenly's brow furrowed for a moment.

"Cool, what's it like?" Alice asked curiously, fiddling with an apple on her tray.

"Cold, cloudy, and seeped in tradition," Heavenly said with a fond smile. "The Carpathian mountains are a sight to behold. It's like they touch the heavens."

"Sounds like you miss it," Emmett mentioned casually.

"More than anything," she replied with fervour. "It's where my heart is."

"Poetic." Rosalie said with disinterest. "How come you are here?"

Heavenly looked down at her tray, missing the glare Edward sent to the other girl. "My parents decided that we should see the world while we're young."

"Tell me about the place you're from, like the people?" Alice asked eagerly. Heavenly paused, biting down softly on her bottom lip. How would she explain who her family and community were? She looked at them, noticing their expecting expressions.

"Um, well, I lived in the Carpathian mountains, in a small town. Our community is close and tradition is held high. My father was like the mayor of the town. But everyone was family. The men are protectors, keeping away those who'd try and bully us."

"Who'd bully you?" Alice asked curiously.

"Bandits, hunters," Heavenly replied, shrugging. Her half truths were eaten up by the others.

"What kind of traditions did you have?" Rosalie asked her eyes dark and her voice sharp.

"Um," she began hesitantly, unsure of what to say. It wasn't as though she could turn around and tell them all about the Hunter's lifestyle, let alone the lifemate situation. But considering that it was the major basis of their culture, there was no way that she could just ignore it. Heavenly looked at Edward again. His expecting expression was again overshadowed by the intensely fierce look in his eyes. She swallowed before speaking softly. "With our marriage there is no divorce, you are lifemates forever. Women are considered to be too gentle and must be protected and cherished. Men are taught to fight in our ancient ways. Our duty and honour are held with the upmost respect."

"So women are not considered equal?" Edward asked curiously, leaning forward to watch her response.

Heavenly smiled with humour. "Even though we are expected to stay at home, most of the men are too afraid to anger us. It is equal. They cherish us and love us more than anything. Almost everything that they do is for our protection." Edward nodded. Falling silent, Heavenly ate a few more grapes. She thought about his reaction to what she said. Was it possible that he knew that she was leaving a vast majority of her past out? Her head shook minutely. No, it wasn't possible, unless he could read her thoughts. Now that was a ridiculous thought. No one, apart from a small amount of human psychics, mages and Carpathians could read minds, and even then it took a lot of training to get to that point. Emmett and Rosalie stood up suddenly, startling her.

"We're going to meet up with Jasper," Emmett said cheerfully. Rosalie looked at Heavenly with a sneer, before giving her partner her attention. "Make sure that he gets something to eat before our next class. It was nice to meet you Lee."

She smiled at the friendly giant. "It was really nice to meet you too, Emmett, Rosalie. I'll see you when I see you next."

He let out a booming laugh. "If you hang out with Alice and Edward, I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot of you." His smile gave her a sense of comfort and ease. It was then she knew that Emmett would never hurt a human, not on his own right, anyway.

"We should get to class, too," Edward said, standing up and offering Heavenly a hand. "The bell will be ringing in a few minutes, and we still have to get our books." She took his hand and stood up.

"What class do you have next, Lee?" Alice smiled, getting up to follow the others.

"English," Heavenly replied

"Oh, great," she smiled, "You can sit with Jasper, Edward and me. You'll love Jasper, he's so sweet."

Edward rolled his eyes with a crooked smile teasing at his lips. The effect was devastatingly handsome as Heavenly mindlessly walked with them out of the hall.

_That's the chapter, please leave a review once you've read, pretty pretty please!_


	5. Chapter 5

_Sorry for the wait. My muse took a few days off when my dear Soccer-Bitch drifted off the radar LOL. But now here it is, and again I apologise for the wait. I do not own Twilight or the Characters from Christine Feehan. Also beware of those who are poaching from people without permission, there's been an occurrence over on the CSI NY category. So please watch out, fellow authors. _

By all that was holy, it had been a strange week, Heavenly mused at the lunch table, sitting between Alice and Emmett. Rolling a large red apple in her hand, she gazed up to Edward, who sat lazily across from her with a crooked smile. She blushed and ducked her head before taking a large bite. Heavenly couldn't help but think back to the beginning of the week and compare how things had changed in such a short amount of time. It was as if someone was watching over her, and whoever was watching over her willed her to be close to the Cullen's. She wasn't sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing, but it couldn't be too bad. They were nothing like the other kids at this school who seemed to get their kicks out of making fun and hurting each other's feelings.

But the Cullen's were different. They truly cared and wanted to be around her. There was no real doubt that they were suspicious of her at first. But it seemed like the more that they learned about her, the more they relaxed around her. Hell, even Rosalie, the girl that treated her with a lot of hostility, was well on her way to warming up to her. Heavenly took another bite of her apple. The blonde wasn't a push over at all. It took her so long to find anything that they had in common. Heavenly nearly wept in relief when she started talking to Edward about vintage cars, only to have Rosalie jump into the conversation with her knowledge. And their slow growing friendship made it easier to hang out with her partner, Emmett. Quite often, during their lunch breaks, Heavenly and Emmett would play around, giving each other a decent ribbing about the other.

However it was Jasper that gave her pause. It wasn't as though they didn't get along. Heavenly noticed that she got along with all of them. But Alice's partner was quiet, reserved, almost afraid to put himself out there. It was his knowledge of history that endeared her to him. That and his willingness to correct her whenever she made a mistake. Her history class was interesting as they debated so many different things. She was always calm around him and even though she was still taunted, they didn't seem to bother her all that much when he was around. And the few times that Jasper wasn't around when she was with the others, Emmett, Alice or Edward would immediately jump down the throats of those who teased her.

Edward. She let out a soft sigh. Her heart thudded loudly whenever he looked at her. And that was quite often. He was a strange one, eager to learn about her but not all that willing to reveal about himself. Then there were the seemingly innocent touches. A careful brush across her shoulders as he passed behind her, the casual strokes when he passed her something in class. The oddest thing though, his body was ice to the touch. He was never warm, except for his eyes, they were molten fire. They flirted with each other, yet Heavenly was sure that there was more to Edward than what he was revealing. And she was very sure that there was more than flirting going on.

"So I was thinking that you could come over tomorrow," Alice broke into her thoughts.

Heavenly looked up, her mind slowly catching on. "Um, sure, my sister would love the chance to have some alone time with her … uh, husband."

Alice gave her a cheerful smile. "Great! Maybe after we could do some window shopping?"

"Sure, there is this really nice boutique that I saw the other day." She took another bite of her apple. "Has some really pretty handmade clothes."

"Oh the one by the florist?" Heavenly nodded. "They have some really pretty things there."

Alice turned her attention to Edward and Heavenly looked over to Jasper. He looked up from his orange and gifted her with a small smile. Blushing, she ducked her head before looking back at him and returned the favour. The table had a little lull and she scrambled around for some common ground to talk about.

"Jasper?" He turned his head towards her again. "Who have you decided to be your partner in History?"

He gave an uncomfortable smirk. "Not yet, what about you?"

"Nope." She said, popping the 'p' before finishing her apple. "Hey, how come you guys never seem to eat?"

Everyone seemed to freeze then shift simultaneously. Her green eyes flickered over them with curiosity. Their eyes never met hers, instead looking over at each other and the walls surrounding them. She continued waiting for an answer that seemed to not be forthcoming. What were they hiding? And this was not the first time that they reacted to a question like this. Like the time when she asked about their eyes and why the shifted from black to gold. They avoided her gave until Edward, with a mocking grin, turned around and mentioned something about florescent lights.

"We prefer the meals we get at home," Emmett finally spoke up. "Plus we're used to not eating three meals a day. With our whole camping thing, we tend to eat mainly two meals a day."

Heavenly gave him a disbelieving look before shrugging, willing to let it go for now. However, she wasn't going to drop the issue. Something was going on with them and she was afraid that it may have something to do with what her parents were searching for. It frustrated her; they seemed so normal, yet still so otherworldly. They did the normal things like go to class, do their homework, and do their study. Yet then there were the strange things about them, things that a person normally wouldn't have or do. Like their eyes, not seemingly to eat, never around during the sunny days, it was all so unusual. Then there were the butterfly touches on her mind, unlike anything she was used too. One of them was responsible, she knew that much. She sighed and nodded, noticing how their eyes turned to her, staring intensely, waiting for her answer. The relaxed slightly, less tense but still cautious. It was amazing how she always found the hard questions without realising it.

"So Jasper, be my partner for our project?" Heavenly asked with a smile on her face. They relaxed further, slumping or leaning in their chairs. Jasper nodded cautiously after looking at Alice. Heavenly didn't miss the slight panic that crossed his eyes thanks to her abilities. Something was going on and she was going to find out what.

##

"So how was your day at school?" Savannah asked curiously as she sat on the couch. Dressed in white shorts, tank and a long grey patterned knit cardigan, Heavenly walked over to her father's chair and curled into it, her long lean bare legs draped comfortably over the evergreen arm rest. In her hand was a heated plastic water bottle.

"You ask me that every day, you know." She said lazily, taking a long draw out of the bottle.

"And every time I ask, you avoid the question. Besides, today I think you actually have news." Heavenly sighed and nodded.

"Yeah, unfortunately I have news," her head leaned back at hit the leather chair.

"How's your blood?"

"Disgusting but needed."

"Hey, you're the freak remember," Savannah laughed. "But I want hear what you have to say."

"Where's everyone?" Heavenly asked.

"Asking questions. We have a few suspicions and we think we're getting closer. Tell me what's going on?"

"You know that family that I was talking about? The Cullen's?" her sister nodded expectantly. "Well, they're really strange. And not human strange either."

"And?" her sister asked, getting up on her knees.

"I think I'll confirm my suspicions first before mentioning this to anyone else." She got up and walked over to her sister and knelt before her. "I need you to keep quiet about this, Savvy, even from Gregori. He'll want to push in and take over."

"But this is dangerous!" Savannah jumped up of the couch and started pacing.

"It needs a gentle hand!" Heavenly retorted, standing up in response. "And hunters don't have that. Its like Dad said a week ago, this is political, rather than an aggressive situation. Gregori is here as part of this family and a vanguard."

"This is something that can get you killed!"

"This whole situation could get us all killed!"

"This is my call!"

Savannah knocked the bottle from her hand, the crimson liquid spreading into a stained sea across the priceless ancient rug. With a fierce strength, Savannah pushed her into the wall, next to the bookcase. "Now let's get one thing clear, you are way too young to be going out on things better kept for people with experience."

"And the only way I can get that damned experience is to go out on things like this. The Cullen's are my friends! And I'm not going to screw them over just based of some half baked suspicions." Heavenly pushed her away with a glare.

"What the hell is going on here? And what's on my carpet?" the two women looked over to the door, her parents and Gregori stood there, waiting for their answer.

_So here it is! What do you think? Please leave a review and tell me what you think!_


	6. Chapter 6

_For all those who want to know what happened to Bella, here is PART of what happened, I repeat PART. This is a little snippet from Edward's POV. I want to thank those who have reviewed, eg. Megsly, Insane, and soccer-bitch as well as those others. I also would like to thank Insane and Soccer-Bitch for the help you gave me when I was stuck. Hope this answers a few questions._

"That was a little more than just close," Emmett mentioned casually, as he started up his game consol. Edward sighed from the plush cream chair, _Wuthering Heights_ open in his hands. His thoughts strayed to the owner of the book. It seemed like a lifetime ago that they parted ways. His fists clenched slightly, the constant hurt and loathing making itself known. So much time and energy he put into his relationship with Bella. He gave her his soul and all she did was tear it apart.

Sighing with resignation, he turned his attention back to the new girl, Heavenly. This new girl and his first love seemed to be more alike then he thought. However she was different had a sense of inner strength and a confidence in her own abilities. There was also something that he found intriguing. Her selflessness and knowledge made her more regal than what he was used to. It brought to mind how similar she was to Esme, one of the few women that had earned his respect. He thought for a moment about their differences. Bella had gone to lengths to find out the truth about him since the day he saved her life by stopping the van from crushing her, and Heavenly was only just starting to notice that the Cullen's were different then the other students from the school. And although he could never read Bella's thoughts, he could read Heavenly's with only a slight need for force. He wasn't sure what would happen, but he would be on his guard.

Esme walked in to the room, giving Emmett a smile before shooing him out of the room. Grumbling slightly, he walked out, holding his game tightly to his chest. She sat down on the couch, close enough to Edward's chair that she could reach out and touch him gently. Her boy was hurting and Esme needed to find a way to guide him through the hurt so he could live his life. "We need to talk about Bella, Honey."

Edward sighed and placed the book gently on his leg. "No we don't."

Grabbing his hand, she stroked it lovingly. "Honey, Bella made her choices."

"And she doesn't have to live with the consequences." Edward said bitterly, looking out the window. Feeling restless, he got up and began to pace, hurt and shame flowing through him as fast as the rage that was his constant companion.

"Edward…" Esme began.

"No, Esme, she chose him over me. She made it clear that I was nothing more than a passing fancy, someone she used for her own amusement."

"Did she say that?" she said calmly.

"She didn't have to!" he yelled, his voice hoarse with emotion and self loathing. She watched as his eyes faded from the warm honey brown to a pain filled black. A wave of sympathy washed over her. Edward's pain affected everyone in the house, Esme more than anyone else.

"What did she say, Edward?" she asked softly. His tortured gaze tore into her heart. Bella certainly did a number on him; Esme thought not realising that Edward could hear her.

"Yes, she did," Edward sat down next to her, his head buried in his hands as he thought of the best way to describe what happened. Calmly stroking his hair, Esme waited patiently. Her son needed to lance the festered wound that Bella left behind. It wasn't in her to hate, yet for a brief second, she believed she was capable of resenting the girl who took Edward's heart and consequently broke it. A soft intake of breath turned her full attention back to her vulnerable son.

"She tore out my heart, or what I had left of one. She chose the dog over me. She didn't believe I could protect her because of James and Victoria! I would have done anything… anything for her." Edward shuddered involuntarily with dry sobs. He hated that he could not cry. "She thinks those dogs can protect her and Charlie better then we can! We saved her from James, almost died because of Victoria and her newborns."

"Honey, to me that doesn't sound like she was saying that you were a flight of fancy," Esme replied, pulling him close. He resisted the affection for a moment before leaning into it, taking the comfort offered. "To me, that sounds like she put her family in first. In her eyes, she must have seen that the wolves could have surrounded them and protected them better than what we could have. Not only would they have round the clock protection, but it would also give them the chance to lead a more normal life. This was what you suggested to her quite a bit."

"Was my love not enough? I went to the Volturi because I could not live without her."

"Maybe she was also trying to protect you? She was a selfless girl after all."

Edward leaned back into the chair, exhausted from his outburst. "I don't know, Esme, all I know is that it really hurts and I'm struggling with it after all these years." She gave him a hug and decided to shift to a different topic.

"So how is that new girl in school? Alice mentioned that she is coming over tomorrow." She asked curiously.

Edward laughed at the absurdity of the situation, going from the girl who used to hold his life and soul in her palm to the girl that had his mind dancing in circles trying to figure her out. Heavenly had his stomach churning, he never knew what she was going to do or ask next. And she stirred up a sense of possessive protectiveness that only Bella had prompted in him. But she was to be watched dispassionately. And because of that he needed to put a cap on his emotions.

"Alice is taking her shopping and I think they are coming back here."

"That should be interesting," Esme replied, "Do you know what she likes to eat?"

"Um, mainly fresh fruit, apples, grapes, that kind of thing. Why?" Esme smiled brightly.

"I need to know what food I'm going to make when she gets here. Does she know what we are?"

Edward shook his head. "But I think that she knows that we aren't normal." Esme raised her eyebrow in question. "She asked why we didn't eat today and we weren't exactly prepared to answer. I think it was Emmett who said that we really only ate two meals a day thanks to our hiking trips."

"We've gotten used to the illusion of eating that when people take a closer look, we are unprepared. I think we need to start pretending to eat."

"Emmett won't be too pleased." Edward said his body bone weary after the emotional outburst.

"No, I don't think he would." Esme turned her body towards him. "Tell me about this girl."

Edward paused, unsure what to say. "Well, um, she's nice…gentle, but still has this strength about her." He looked out the window, uncertain with what else to describe. "She's tall, almost the same height as Rosalie, yet leaner, like a dancer. Her eyes are like the forest after a storm, rich green and glittering. Goes along with the flow until something happens that she doesn't agree with, she'll stand up for what she thinks is right. She's a bit suspicious, but because she's from a different country, she lets a lot of stuff slide."

"She sounds interesting. What was her name again?" she asked curiously.

"Heavenly, although she likes being called Lee." Edward said promptly, not seeing his mother's sly smile.

"I'll be sure to remember that."

**

Alice stood in front of the bed, her hands fisted on her hips. Two outfits rested on the bed, the first was a black ruched mesh surplice top, with gathering around the waist and sheer sleeves. Grey tight low rise jeans lay underneath the two layered top. Next to that outfit was a thin beige sweater dress with blue jeans underneath. A pair of black leggings hung lazily from one fist as she glared at the two outfits. Jasper walked in, his blue shirt and black slacks immaculate. He looked at his lover with an amused smile playing at his lips. "You know, if you get out any more clothes, we won't be able to see the bed." Alice glared at him for a brief moment before bouncing over and giving him a quick peck on the lips. "I can't choose what I want to wear tomorrow when I take Heavenly shopping tomorrow," she pouted prettily. Jasper touched her shoulder before walking over to the bed and put a mock serious expression on his face. With a laugh, she wrapped her arms around his middle. "I think I'll go with the sweater dress and these black tights," she held up the lacy leggings. Jasper nodded and kissed her temple. Alice looked up at him with a playful expression. "Jasper Whitlock Hale, thank goodness we are behind closed doors. Who knows what anyone would say seeing you give me more than one kiss a day!"

"Be careful tomorrow. Do you want me to come with you two? My control is a lot better recently." Alice touched his chest comfortingly.

"Thank you Jasper, but I think that I can get more out of her if it was just me."

He frowned down at her for a moment. "You know exactly what is going on with her, don't you?" Alice sighed and nodded.

"Yes, but its vital that I keep it to myself. The only thing you need to know is that Heavenly wouldn't do anything to hurt us. Please trust that?" he nodded allowing her to lean up and kiss him, her desire for him overriding any protest.

_Thanks for reading, please leave a review when you're done and tell me what you think._


	7. Chapter 7

_So sorry for the long wait, it took a week longer than what I expected and I think you'll enjoy this one. It has a lot of plot information so any questions, let me know and I'll try and answer them if they don't interfere with what the plot will reveal. I do so hope you enjoy this. Thanks to Insane and Soccer-Bitch for being my sound board!_

"Well?"

The two girls stared at one another, one pleading silently while the other stood in silent resolve. Thoughts swirled viciously around Heavenly's mind. She had no doubt that Savannah, in a sense of misguided compassion, would tell the rest of her family everything that she revealed. Her palm flattened against the olive coloured wall while her chest heaved with adrenaline. Green eyes flittered between Savannah's and Raven's icy blue ones before searching out her father's. She flinched away when she didn't see the welcoming warmth that she had come to expect from his mocha orbs.

"Heavenly has information that she won't reveal about the Cullen's. But she says that they aren't like the normal humans around here." The sharp intakes of air echoed around the room, cutting across the comforting warmth from the flickering flames dancing in the fireplace.

"Lee?" Mikhail looked at her intently.

"I need to confirm my suspicions first," Heavenly pleaded, pressing back into the wall. It was like they all loomed over her, scary shadows and all. She didn't want to betray her friends but she also didn't want to go against her family. Every single fact that she learned was important, and Heavenly wanted all of her facts and suspicions correct and ruled up before she made any decisions. They looked at her sternly, the judge, jury and executioner. Swallowing convulsively, she waited to see if they would accept her decision.

"Not good enough," Raven spoke up sternly. "They could be a danger to you and I won't accept any risks for us."

"Coming here was a risk in itself, Mom. All I'm asking is for some more time to get a definitive idea of the Cullen family." Heavenly hoped that her patient and calm voice would aid her request. The Cullen family had not given her a reason to fear for her life; therefore she thought she was quite reasonable in asking for more time.

"Don't talk back."

"Lee, we've ruled out all the other suspects around here, even the addled farmers down the road," Mikhail explained patiently. "The only thing we need to confirm is the Cullen family and if they're not what we suspect and are human, we can leave and look elsewhere."

Heavenly bit her lip. Would it be plausible to claim that they were human? No, her parents would demand proof, and that was something she was sure she couldn't provide. "Dad please, give me more time, we want a peaceful settlement, remember? The more facts I find lead us closer to that result." The wall behind her gave her the support and strength she needed to look straight into his eye, pleading and resolve glowing from hers. A subtle touch on her mind gave her warning of Gregori trying to steal the information from her mind. Slamming down her mental blocks, she relished lightly at his wince. The one thing she learned from a young age was the strength that she had behind her blocks. No one could get past if she didn't want them too. Well, all except Edward.

For some reason, she swore could feel his touch in her mind, but never could block him or catch him in the act. And she was sure as gold that is was really him in her mind. He never pushed further than her surface thoughts, or at least that she could detect and never noticed that she wasn't completely human or completely Carpathian, a child of the earth. But he being able to slip into her mind didn't say that he was not human. All that proved was that he was psychic and the Carpathians had successfully turned several psychic women. And just because he and his family never seemed to eat, had the same eyes despite them claiming not to be blood relatives and had paler skin than even her, didn't mean that they were the descendents of a Carpathian experiment that somehow managed to escape a massacre.

"Heavenly Luminta Dubrinsky! I am your Father and Prince." Heavenly stared at the suddenly imposing figure, cringing against the wall once more. "You will listen and obey me!"

She stared at him shocked. The others stared at him with the same expression. In all the years that Heavenly had been alive, not once did her father raise his voice at her, preferring instead to talk over things rationally. This was completely out of character for him. The harsh tones struck her to the quick and her bottom lip trembled. She had never, _ever_, heard her father even use his rank. Darting between the bodies she ran upstairs, ignoring the voices floating up behind her.

"Give her a few minutes and I'll go up to talk with her," Gregori said quietly.

**

Lifemate. The other half of a Carpathian soul. The saviour of the Carpathian man. The gentle chain's of their beast. And a royal pain in Heavenly's ass. Everything that the Carpathian's stood for was the search of their lifemates and stop the extinction of their species. Heavenly sighed and stared up at the ceiling. For the past half an hour she had waited for someone to follow and demand more answers and expand on what Savannah had managed to get out of her. Yet still no one came up.

Thankfully it gave her time to think about why she defended the Cullen family. They all were still so uninformed about them. And no one went into a potential battle with only half the information. It wasn't just the strangeness that enveloped the family that had her curious. It was her reaction to Edward that made her pause on more that one occasion. She couldn't deny the intense longing that she had for him, or the rush of cool heat that flew through her veins every time he touched her. The ease that he slipped into her mind made her curious and worried. And it still wasn't confirmed that it was him anyway. But it _felt_ like him. Groaning with frustration she flipped onto her stomach and buried her head into the soft covers. As far as she was concerned, it was him until proven otherwise. She could always ask Alice if he could during their shopping trip the next day. Her answers would be interesting.

Heavenly turned her head slightly, her fingernails picking at a loose thread. How did she hate finding those papers! Her life was content, learning about the Carpathian history and how to advance her powers. Studying under the most fearsome and violent predators that the world had advanced her power much faster than the other females, despite her only being half Carpathian. It was a feat in itself for them to begin training her in combat, but when Gregori mentioned causally that it would be much more beneficial for the women to know how to defend themselves just in case of an attack, the men had become much more willing.

Her bother-in-law was a man unto himself. He always had a plan, and tended to manipulate those around him to achieve his own goals towards the good of their race. The sheer brilliance of his plans usually outweighed the severity of his manipulations. Heavenly sighed. What was his plan now? It wasn't a secret that he despised the man who experimented on the blood of their people.

Footsteps thudded on the stairs, alerting Heavenly of an impending visitor. She sat up and glared at the door, her earlier feelings of hurt and stubbornness strengthening her back bone. The steps were heavy, unlike the gentle taps of a woman. So it was her Father or Gregori. Folding her legs underneath her, Heavenly began to think of what she would say.

If it were her father, she'd try and reason with him, and if that didn't work, the battle of the stubbornness would begin. However, if it were Gregori, perhaps she could gain his compliance and see if she could beat him at his own game. If she gave him a small amount of details and asked a few pointed questions, perhaps she could not only satisfy his need for information and her need for time and discretion. The door creaked open and his tall imposing physique filled the doorway.

"Why didn't you force my compliance downstairs?" she asked bitterly, unable to shake off the hurt that their behaviour caused.

He stared at her intently for a while before walking in and making a deliberate show of closing the door. He was starting early. Swallowing, she waited with a patient breath for him to answer and begin his questioning. Walking over to the computer desk, he pulled her black leather chair over to the bed and sat down in front of her.

"Before you closed your mind to me, I caught something interesting. Who is he?" she looked at him with uncomprehending eyes. "I caught you thinking about a lifemate. Explain."

Heavenly blinked. This was not what she was expecting him to ask, however it did help her for her quest for information. "I want you to promise you won't tell anyone what I'm about to tell you. You have to give me your word as a Carpathian." Again he studied her intently before nodding.

"You have my word."

"What do you know about a female recognising her lifemate before the male is even aware of the situation?" she grabbed one of her bed cushions and hugged it to her stomach. Gregori froze slightly, obviously not expecting her queiry.

"Is this important?"

"To answer you question it is. I need that information to tell you some of my suspicions."

"A female finding her lifemate before the male is something that hasn't happened since before the massacre of our people," Gregori began awkwardly. The action seemed alien to the usual informed and experienced hunter. Heavenly waited patiently for him to continue. It reminded her slightly of all the times they sat in her father's library with him teaching her about their history, occasionally with the aid of some of the older hunters. "You have to understand that this was a time where there were only a limited number of males were turning into Vampires. The males often didn't lose their colour sight, their female was always around and it was the emotions themselves that people focused on, the longing, the lust, the heat, and the need, all of those kinds of things. Most of the time our people recognised each other through the absolute desire of being around a certain person and more often than not it was the woman who instigated the relations. Now, because of this time being our darkest hour, the men are forced to tie our lifemates in anyway possible and pray that it works out for the best."

Heavenly nodded absently as she thought long and hard on what she was told. Was it possible? It was the first thing that popped in her mind when she first saw him at school. The need to be around him was there, the lust and heat whenever he touched her was there too and the longing of his presence caused her an almost physical ache. Her thoughts drifted to the scientific notes that she found. The two escapees were the scientist's first pair and according to his notes, he had either repressed the need for the binding words or made it so they didn't have to say them, their connection unconscious. They could find their mates with next to no difficulty although with a few of his test subjects they found someone close to being their mate and establishing an emotional tie before finally finding their true mate.

"Heavenly?" She blinked and looked at the expectant silver eyes of Gregori. "Time to answer my question."

"I think Edward Cullen is my lifemate."

_Please please please tell me what you think of this chapter. It was so hard to write!_


End file.
